11/20/12

A Vivid Journey with Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel

"Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel" personifies the masterful “Empress of Fashion,” whose influence changed the way we saw beauty, art, publishing, and culture forever. Launching Twiggy and advising Jackie Onassis were only a few of her accomplishments as the fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue. Her final fashion stint at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute gave a historical look at fashion translated to a common language for those in the fashion world.

Although she wasn't a feminist, she revolutionized the role of women in the 20th century bringing culture, art, and fashion revolutions, including the bikini and blue jeans, to the pages of magazines.

The her magazine transformed fashion photography into an art form. The interviews in her living room she called a garden in hell, revealed so many details of her years at Harpers Bazaar and Vogue that I felt connected to her as a person, editor and fashion lover.

She was not schooled in fashion, however her education was provided by "the world ". She boldly stated, in order to be in fashion, the first thing you should arrange is to be born in Paris, everything else follows.

She was a dancer of the roaring 20's in NYC and spent many nights dancing in clubs. She proudly proclaimed, " on those evenings I saw a lot of fun." Watching Josephine Baker she commented on her love of that "pizzazz" thing Baker had.

When Jane Pauley asked what personified her style, she replied," a race horse- because they have a little extra pizzazz." She said she knew if she was going to make it, she had to stand out.

Vreeland lived in and traveled to amazing places, but my favorite quote about a city was her comment, "The best thing about London was Paris." When she lived in London, she was always sneaking away to Paris. Diana was very close to CoCo Chanel, wearing many of her pieces, and although she was exposed to the most influential designers of her time, she said that no one had a better feel about luxury than CoCo.

Carmel Snow noticed Vreeland at an event and admired what she had on which, naturally, was Chanel. Although she had no experience in fashion, Snow asked her to come on board with Harpers Bazaar stating, "Why don't you try it?"

Thus, she titled her column, "Why don't you?" The world was in midst of a recession and Vreeland dreamed up "mad" ideas of excess and luxury. She had an original point of view that varied from the norm. It truly separated her from the rest.

My favorite quote of her reads: "Style is everything. It's what gets you up in the morning. And I'm not talking about clothes." How profound? I love the quote and couldn’t agree more. Fashion isn’t about the clothes, it is about the way a woman or man carries the clothes. Vreeland nailed it.

In college, the director of the film, LisaImmordino Vreeland, was mesmerized by Diana Vreeland’s presence. She later fell in love with Vreeland’s grandson, becoming an official member of the Vreeland family. Although her background was art history, she had energy towards fashion.

Following the screening, Ms. Lisa Vreeland will engaged in a candid conversation with a friend and Houston Cinema Arts Festival, Lynn Wyatt.

Diana Vreeland's mystical ways and beliefs continue to resonate throughout the fashion and art world. Although, the director had concerns about Diana Vreeland being misunderstood, I feel that I understand her quite well and applaud her style, vim and vigor of life, fashion, art and travel.